Projectile and means for directing the same.



APPLICATION FILED AUG-31. I918.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I. L. REEVES.

PBOJECTILE AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3l. I918.

1,295,794. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

2 sHEETs-sHE T 2.

IRA L. REEVES; ormnn umrnnsnares PROJECTILE ANDMEANS FOR DIRECTINZG- THESAME;

Specification of Letters lfatent.

Patented 11 910.2 5, 1919.

Application. filed AugnstBl, 1918. Serial No. 252,252.

(FILEDUNDER THE'AGT OED/[ARCH 3, 1883, 2213;, 625.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA L. REEVES, colonel, U. S. Army, a citizen of theUnited States, stationed at lVashington, District Golumbia, haveinvented l an Improvement in Projectiles and. Means forDirecting theSame, of which the followingis a specification;

The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any o fits' offi' cers or employees prosecution of work for the Government, orby any other person in the United States, withou-tipayment of anyroyaltythereon. i

This invention relates to projectiles and means for directing the same,and refers more particularly to means for cuttingsmilitarywire-entanglements.

The principal object of'the invention is to provide a device of theforegoing character whereby a projectile may be hurled at a wireentanglement, the projectile being provided with cutting blades adaptedto sever. the wires as the projectile contacts therewith. Another objectconsists of the provision of means for rotating the blade projectile sothat 'it may be released totravel through wire entanglement-s, therevolution of the blades making it possible for the'projectile to severthe wires of the entanglement when it comes into contact with thatobjective.

A further object is to provide, in addition to means for rotating theprojectile, means for directing and hurling the revolving pro jectileagainst the objective, to furtherincrease the speed and effectiveness ofthe t is sile. r

A stillvfurther objectis to constructthe projectile with a hollow spacethereinadapted to receive explosive, and to provide therefor atime-fuse,whereby the explosive. may be detonated when the projectilecomes torest, or atany predetermined time desired, whereupon the projectile willbe ruptured and the pieces thereof projected-to further demolish theentanglement or other objectives.

With the foregoing, and other objects in view, theinventioncomprises'the new and useful details of construction and arrange ment, whichwillbe fully describedherein",

illustrated in; the anne ied drawingsand pointed out more specifically1n the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a simple embodiment of myinvention is illustrated, like reference characters refer to likeorcorresponding partsthrough'out.

Figure 1 isa side elevation of one embodiment ofmy projectile in placein a simple device for revolving and directing. the same.

Fig. 2is a frontelevation of theembodimen-tshown in Fig. 1.

Fig.3jis a fragmentary elevation of the device, partly inise'ction,illustrating; the means for releasing the projectile from thedirectingmeans.

Fig. .t'is a side elevation ofon'e: embodimentof my projectile.

Fig; 5 is a: detail elevation of one of the pro ectile-releasingelements carried by the directing means.

whiclrisjournaled a transverse shaft 3. Piv- V otedto' swing about shaft3between the bearing pedestalsis a bifuricatedlever unit 4:, having atransverse hub portion 5 perforated to'receive shaft 3therethrough. Thelower end oftlie lever unit is restricted to formacentral arm 6 andonejend of 'a coiled spring .7 is engaged thereto, as by an eye-bolt 8,while the oppositeend of the spring is engaged to the base plate by aneye-bolt 9 carried inan up-standing lug 10 on the base plate. .Spring 7is positioned'to normally press the'lever'et incounter'clockwise'direction about pivoting shaft 3, for a purpose whichwill befurther explained? The upper end of lever 4 is bifurcated, thelateral arms thereof being designated bynumerals ll and '11, each ofwhich are provided at their outer ends with"alined'bearings and 12",respectively], carrying stub shafts 13 and l3,each"of"which shafts carryadj acent their "outer ends-outside of *arms 11 i and 11" the respectivesprocket gears-1 i *an'd'il ifl Fixed to shaftS, perferably outside'ofthe bearingpedest als, are sprocket gears 16 and 16, in**the planes,-respectively, of sprocket gears 34 and 14-, and sprocket chains15" andz'rre trained about each of the respective alllled pairs of gears.'A'balance wheel-17 1s Cranks. such as 18 and therewith isfa circularprojectile 19, the

means for effecting theremovable engagementbetween the stubv shafts andthe jectile comprises sleeves 20 and 20 'slidable' 'longitudinally'on'shafts 13: and13, respec- 'on opposite sides tive'ly,feach ofthelslee'ves being splined to their respective shafts to revolvetherewith. Theinnerends 0f the sleeves are provided with squaredrecesses21 and 21', respectively, into which squared b'osses 22 and 22 iof the projectilefhubjare adapted to fit.

' Means-for sliding the sleeves 2 0; and 20,

1 longitudinally of shafts 13 and 13 com,- j prises slip rings23 and 23,carried by each of, the respective sleeves, to which are piv-rlotediyoked levers2-4: and 24. Levers 24 and .24" arefulcrumed'aldjacentvthe yoked ends 1 thereof, as at 25 and 25 andsprings 26 and Inorder tohold the sleeves in engagement with th'e'bosses on the projectile, vkeepers 27 r and 27 are pivoted adj went,their centers on V '26are interposed'between the levers and the lateralarms 11 and 11', respectively, to norjectile. 1

' theupip'er or forward edges of arms lland 11 each ofjsaidkeepershaving hooks 28 .and

28, adapted to engage the" lower free ends of, levers 2 Land 2a,respectively, to hold the :levers in the position shown in Fig.2,wherein; the sleeves 20 and 20 are in engagement Withthe respectivebosses22 and 22'; "Keep:

- VGItlCiLlllBg 32rearvviardly, thus towith raw tooth 4 33. from;engagement with tooth 34;, allowing the lever unit .4 to be swung in aersy27 and 27 areprovided withprojecting extenSiOns 29and 29 positionedto act in the capacity of trip levers, aswill behereinafteuV-fullv'explained. V g p A I {"The'fpreferred position for loading the Vprojectile into the aforenienti'onedlever unit (i, is illustrated inFig. 1, this position'being 1 'maintained .by the; engagement. of atrigger .mechanisn comprising a bellgcrank lever standing ears 31,carried by the base.

vertical leg 3,2 of the belhcrank'is provided; with; a forwardlyextending tooth 33 'positioned to engage a zrearwardly projecting (3130131134 filied vOn tlle underor rear side'of downwardly'by the. operatorto swin the counter clockwise direction by a spring; 7 as engagedposition 1 propreviously explained. A' coil spring 36 is V V engaged atone end to lever 32, and at the 7 carried onshaft-3 and is shownputside'pf sprocket gear 16". V 7

' 18" are provided on the ends of shaft 3'. r Removably fixed betweenthe ends'of the;

alinedstub'shafts 13 and 13 and revoluble other .end to the base jplate, whereby leg 32 will be normally urged forwardly into its A bumpersuch as 37 ispositionedtransi h end to pedestals 22.-

bumper proper, .thebumper'unlt being 'posi .versely of the device, thesame being mount- 7 The bumper comprise'sfa contact plate 38 nor-,mallyz held in position by coiled springs 39 '75 'i inte'rposed betweenthe contact plate and'the trip arms 40 andlO, said .armsbeing in thepath of trip levers 29 carried bythekeepers' 27 and 27 respectively,engagement between the: trip arms landtrip levers being effected,

ipreferablyjust prior to the engagement of the lever unit fwith thebumper.

as p

' The projecti1e'19 comprisesa wheel'hjav- V 1 ing a hollow. rimpreferably circularin cross section,about the periphery of; which arefixed a plurality of sharpened teeth 42, to provide cutting edges'aboutthe periphery of the projectile when revolvingin a counter clockwisedirection. The hollow rim is 'adapted to vbe filled with explosivefand atime-fuse --13 'is positioned at any convenient point on the, rim, thesame haviiigaccess to theexplo'sivewithin therim; v I Ioper'ation,,the'initiallposition of'my device isfassho'wn in .Figjl, wherein theleveliunitt is engaged bythebell-crank 30. Projectile 19 is engagedbetween sleeves 20 teeth 28' andj28" on;k pers" 27 and 27', are inposition tofengagx24 and 24, respecti;vely. I The time fuse is settoexplode the projectile at the desired future time, whereupon the cranks18 and .18 are rotated in a'counter 16,"chains' 15 'andfl-5, gears 14and 14:, shafts "13 and 13., and sleeves 20 and 20 and 20'," as'previously' described,, and the It'ivill beunderstood that therevolution of projectile 19 is desiredto beat relative great rate ofspeed, andfto thisend cranks 18 will berotated rapidly. It is'to be,understood F v j thatco mpoundgearings may be substituted pivoted atthe-"angle between apan' ofjup. The

for the'mechanism shown, and that a motor V mayjbe applied to-shaft 3torotate the meo'h--- .anis'm,, should' it *befdesired to develop greaterspeed fortheprojectile. When the desired rate of-spee'd has beenattained for the projectile,jthe horizontal legl35 of the triggernechanism will.be-pressed by" the operator, thereby disengagingthe leverunit, allowing spring7 to 'swingith upper'end-of the lever forward,the'strengthof spring 7 7 being such asto'performthisoperation veryrapidly, {,As the lever unit sw ngs to an up- 7 right position, triplevers 29 and. 29 will swing; therewith into engagement with trip baseaccordingly.

bars .40 and respectively, ,thcreby simultaneously releasing levers 24and 24 disengaging ,the revolving projectile Lfrom sleeves 2 0 and 20.

In practice it ,is preferable for the revolving projectile to travel ina ll116 parallel with the base of the=device when the projectile leavesthe lever. I To this end, the projectile releasing mechanism ispositioned to releasejthe projectile when the lever .is

in a position at right ,angles to the base, whereupon the pro ectilewill be directed in a :line tangent to the arc of ;the travel of lever4, thus in a line substantially parallel to the :base of the device.Thus the force exerted by the swinging ,lever unit on therevolving"projectile will throw the-projectile forward, in addition tothe obvious tendency of-the projectile to -;roll, on the surface of theground When gravity has eventually overcome the impetus .of the initialforce. It will also bepbvfious that-when the pro- -.jectile reaches :itsobjective, the revolving blades thereon will readily sever the Wires .ofan entanglement, cutting a path therethrough in an 1 obvious -manner.

It will beunderstoodthatithepresent embodiment of my device is designedto be operated from a trench and that the vertical plane of travel ofthe projectile will be at right angles. of i the transverse shaft 8.

Inorder toadjust the device for change of traverse, it will he necessary:to shift the that the base may be mounted on a pivot in order that itmay be swung for traverse,

and'that sighting mechanism may be applied thereto, but, since onlyrelative accuracy for such a deviceis requiredino-such means have beenapplied tothe illustrated embodiment.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new anddesire-tosecure byLctters Patent is:

1. The combination with a projectile in the form of a Wheel, means forsupporting the. pro ectile, means for imparting 3 rotary motion to theprojectile whilebeing supported, means for imparting a forward movementto said projectile and means for releasing said projectile fromsaidsupport so that the same will be thrown forwardly while still possessingits rotary mot on 2." The combination of. a. projectile 111 itilt) :formof a Wheel i provided with teeth on 1 its outer periphery, ,means :forsupporting the same, means for imparting rotary motion to the pro ectlle:While being supported,

jlllGtflS for imparting .a rforivard :movement to .said projectile and--means ifor releasing said "projectile "from said support .so that thesame will .be thrown forwardly While still possessingits rotary motion.-

'3. The combination of a projectile 5 in the for-m of awwheel having ahollow i-periphery It .Wlll be understood and providedmvithcutting'iteeth on its outer surface, Jneans afor ilmpartlng rotary ,mo-

tion to" the projectile while being supported, means for imparting aforward movement to said projectile and means for releasing saidprojectile {from said support so that the same Will be thrown forwardly,while still possessing .its rotary motion. a

st. Thecombination of .aprojectile inthe form of a wheel :having a-:hollow periphery and cuttinggteethprovided on'its outer surface and anexploslve carried in ,Sflld hol- 110W peripheryiofzthe Wheel, means forsup- ,port ng athe same, means forgnnpartlng a rotary motiontotheprojectile' while being; supported, means for impartmga forwardDIOVGIDGHtitO sald projectile and means for releasing said projectilefrom said support so "that the same W111 be 'lllll'OWIl forwardly while,still possessing its rotary motion.

5. .ThQCOIHblIlillilOIl ot a pro ectile 1n the form ofa Wheel having ahollow periphery and provided on its outer surface with a plurality ofcutting teeth and an explosive substance in saidiperiphery and a timefuse to 1 cooperate with said exploslve substance, -means for supportingthe pro ectile, means for imparting rotary ,motion to :the projectlle.wh1le;be1ng supported, :mea-ns'for unparting 1a forward-movement tosaid project-ile .and oneans for releasing said pro ec- ;tile fronrsaidsupport-s0 that itllB; same will :be thrown :forwardly WllllC stillpossessing its rotary mot1on 6. :In combination with .a projectilecircular in form and proi'ided u'itlifa plurality ofcutting'iteeth onits outeredge, a base,

tile is still revolving.

:7. The combination of a projectile-in the form of a wheeha machinefor'.hurli1 1g said pi'o ectileand rotatingthe same comprising a base,an arm pivotally mounted in said base and a spring connected with saidbase and said arm for forcinglthe outer end of the arm forwardly whensaid arm is: released, means at the outer end of sald arm for supportingsaid projectile, means connec ted to said supporting in cans for imparting rotary motion to said pro ectile ,and

inean-s' for withdrawing the support from.

said projectile when said pivoted arm has been iforced to as mostjforward position by said spring so that said pro .ecti-le will behurled :forwardly while still possessing its rotary motion.

8 .5 in. combinationivith, a i projectile in the outer ends'ofsaid armand provided'with sockets on their inner ends, and sprockets s on theirouter ends, 7

- sprockets on the% crank so that when said 40. V crank is revolved saidstub-shafts I will also form of a wheel providedwith cuttingedges V ontits outer periphery,-a machine for rotat- 'ing andhurling the samecomprising a base 1 plate, upwardlyextending supporting posts,

an arm pi'votednear its lower end; in said supporting posts, saidyarmbifurcated at its chains cooperating" with the sprockets on saidstub-shafts fand said' crank tothereby -15 -mounted on-the innerends ofsaid stubshafts and adapted *to normally" hold the j said projectile and-means connected :with

said sockets adapted to coopera'teQ-with i i means onsaid supportingposts when the said pivoted arm moved to its forward osition to therebyrelease ther} said pro 'jectile-. f .25

' A machine 7 Hand hurlingthe same in a' forward dime, -tioncomprising'a-base. plate, :supporting yarms, integral with said'base plate, anarmends; said armflbeing'bifurcated at its up-.

per portion and reducedat its lower 'por- I I, V

means for revolving sa1d-stub-shafts,. socket ,members mounted on theinner. ends'of said tion, stub shaftssuitably mounted at the connectingsaid "be revolved, Lthe sockets on'the inner ends of said stub-shaftsarrangedto rotatewith -said stub-shafts and capable of a sliding;cmovement, a wheel likeiprojectile adapted" forengageinent with saidsockets and means connecting' with said sockets and said bifurcated armsfor normally holdin'g'the;

sockets in. their innermost position, means Jfor' forcing thepivotal arminan upward F leasetheprojectile. -t-

=12. :The combination of a projectile in the position when said arm isreleased and means,

on said; supporting arms. cooperating with meanson said bifurcatedarms'to force the 7 I said sockets apart when said pivotal arm isreleased to thereby permit the release of said-projectile. V

- r lOur-The 'cor'nbinationfofi a projectile in the form of a wheelandmeans forwrotatis king and hurling the same, comprising a supportingmember, an arm pivotally mounted near: its lower end said supportingniem- .f berg'a -crankiextending through saidasup porting member andsaid-pivotal arm, sprockvets secured to said crank, a balancing wheel 7also on said crank said pivotalarm beingbifurcated at its upper portionand reduced at for revolvin a If ro 'ectile v b i its lower portion, atension member connected w th said supportlng member and said pivotalarm, means for normally retaining the pivotal arm in its" lowermostpos1- tion and'l e'lea'slng the'said arm to be forced forwar'dly bysaidtension member'when deupper portion, bearings formed at the outerends of saidQarm and two stub-shafts insaid bearings, a crank extendingthrough said supporting posts and said pivoted arm and sprockets'mounted thereon, further sprockets mounted on said stub-shafts andsired, stub-shafts suitably mounted on the arms of the pivotal arm, andsprockets mounted on the outer' endsof said'stub shafts and cooperating.with the sprockets said crank arm is revolved, socket members slidablymountedpn the inner ends of said impart --a rotary 'movement --to saidstub- L l shafts when the crank is revolved, .sockets the said levers intheir said position and fingers mountedr'onrthe supporting means adaptedto cooperate with said triggers when said pivotallarm isireleased 'tothereby force the said sockets forwardlyqion said stubshafts and therebyrelease the wheel-like projectile; v r i v v -11. 'A machine forrotating and ideas ing a'rwheel-like projectile" comprising .in

part'a supporting base, an arm pivotally mounted in said base, 7 said:armbeing bifurcated latits-iupper endfl and stub-shafts mounted attheouterends of said arms,

stub-shafts and adapted to rotate with said stub-sha'ftsand alsocapable-ofsliding movement on said f stub-shafts, levers connected #withsaid sockets and adapted to normally hold said sockets in theirinnermostfiposi- -tion, spring 'membersconnected with said levers, forforcing said a socket members apart and trlgger arms cooperat ng wlthmembers tobe *forced apart, to thereby redlrection, comprising La base,supporting posts arranged at opposite sides of said'base, an armpivotallymounted between said supso t ports and atensiommeinber" securedto the lower endrojfzsaid armand said base, means for-normallyholdingsaid arm in a downward position in tension, a crankextendingthrough: 'theglower' end of saidpivoted' arm and said sup-port rprovidedwith-sprockets near its-outerends, stub-shafts. located on theopposite'ends of said arm provided with sprocikets 1 and adapted to be;turned when said sprockets on said crank are revolved, supportingsockets slidably mounted on said stub-shafts and adapted to be revolvedwith said stub-shafts to revolve the wheel-like projectile, means fornormally holding said supporting sockets in their innermost position tosupport said wheel, said means comprising trigger arms, and leverscooperating with said sockets and lever arms, spring members connectedwith said levers and the pivotal arm and means formed on the supportingmember to cooperate with said trigger arms when said pivotal arm isreleased and moved forwardly, to thereby permit the spring members toforce the said sockets apart and thereby release the wheel likeprojectile.

13. A machine for imparting a rotary movement to a wheel-like projectileand throwing the same forwardly, comprising, a base with supportssecured thereto and an arm pivotally mounted in said supports,stub-shafts located at the outer end of said arm and provided withsprockets on their outer ends and sockets on their inner ends and meansfor revolving said sprockets, a tension member secured to the lower endof said arm and said base and means for normally holding said arm andreleasing the same whereby the said tension member will force the saidarm upwardly, means secured to the supports for taking up the shock ofsaid arm when said arm is forced forwardly and in contact therewith,means for holding the sockets in their innermost position to therebysupport the wheel-like projectile when the same is being revolved, andmeans for forcing the sockets away from each other when said pivotal armis forced upwardly to thereby release the said wheel-like projectile.

14. The combination of a projectile and means for rotating and hurlingthe same, comprising in part, a projectile in the form of a wheel havinga hollow periphery, an explosive in said periphery, a plurality ofcutting edges on the outer surface of the periphery, a hub portionprovided with outwardly extending lugs, sockets, and the said lugsadapted to fit Within the sockets when said wheel is to be revolved,means for revolving said sockets, means for imparting a forward movementto said sockets and means for forcing the sockets apart to therebyrelease said projectile.

15. A machine for throwing a projectile, including a base, a lever unitmounted for swinging movement on the base, rotatable projectile supportscarried by the lever unit, means for rotating the supports, means forswinging the lever unit to impart a forward movement to the projectileand means for releasing the supports from the projectile.

16. A machine for throwing a projectile, including a base, means carriedby the base for imparting a forward movement to a projectile said meansincluding rotatable projectile supports, and means for rotating thesupports.

17. A machine for throwing a projectile, including a base, and meanscarried by the base for imparting a forward movement to the projectile,said means including rotatable projectile supports, means for rotatingthe supports, and means for releasing the supports at a predeterminedposition in the movement of the first mentioned means.

. IRA L. REEVES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

